AP File PhotoNorth Carolina center Tyler Zeller raised his scoring and rebounding averages after each of his first three seasons with the Tar Heels.

There's no question the Detroit Pistons could use another big
man at both ends of the floor next season and one of the players in this year's draft who could fill their needs is North Carolina center Tyler Zeller.

The 7-foot, 250-pound Zeller possess the type of size that
might look nice alongside 6-10 Greg Monroe, who emerged as perhaps the Pistons
best player last season.

Zeller isn't projected to be a perennial All-Star but does have solid credentials that could make it hard for the Pistons to bypass him if he's available when Detroit selects ninth in the first round of the June 28 NBA Draft.

Zeller was the Player of the Year in the talent-rich ACC
last season after averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting .553 from the field for the Tar
Heels, who made it to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament before losing to
eventual national runner-up Kansas.

Sports Illustrated listed Zeller No. 3 on its list of "safe bets" in this year's draft and SI.com writer Sam
Amick sees the Pistons using their first-round pick on
Zeller.

"The Pistons need a defensive-minded big man to
pair with emerging center Greg Monroe, and the top prospect for that position
is North Carolina forward John Henson," Amick wrote. "But he's also very thin, with no
guarantees that he'll put on the kind of weight necessary to avoid being pushed
around in the NBA. Zeller, meanwhile, is a safer bet whom most talent
evaluators expect to be a solid player on both ends. He averaged 16.3 points,
9.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks as a senior while earning the ACC Player of the
Year award. Terrence Jones will also likely be considered, or Detroit could
reach for 7-foot defensive specialist Fab Melo of Syracuse."

Zeller is one of the most experienced
players in the draft after spending four seasons at North Carolina, where his
numbers got better virtually across the board every season.